The present invention relates to containers. More particularly, the invention relates to containers for elongate articles such as disposable razors.
Containers of the prior art have typically been manufactured from a single sheet which is cut and bent into a container.
GB 340,653 discloses a box for matches and cigarettes. The box is a metal box in which two braces are formed in a side wall. The braces are dimensioned to permit a strip of abrasive material suitable for use as a nail file to be passed through the slits and held tightly in position. The braces are designed to hold the abrasive material tightly and the abrasive material cannot easily be removed from the box such that finger nails may be groomed without removing the nail file from the box.
A first aspect the present invention provides a combination of a container and an elongate member. The container includes a side panel provided with a plurality of lines of weakness for enabling a pocket and a brace to be formed. The lines of weakness are dimensioned such that, when formed, the pocket can support the elongate member at an end and the brace can loosely hold the elongate member at a medial portion. Thereby the elongate member is located relative to the container and the elongate member can easily be removed from the pocket and brace with one hand.
In this way, articles can be attached to the outside of the container, whilst other articles are still contained within the container, without the need for using more material than prior art containers. The container may be dimensioned for containing disposable razors, preferably up to about half a dozen, and the lines of weakness may be dimensioned such that the handle of a disposable razor may be loosely held by the pocket and brace. The container of the present invention advantageously allows a razor which has been used, to be separated from unused razors in the container, by being attached to the outside of the container in an easily accessible way.
If the elongate member is a handle of a razor then the advantage of the elongate member being loosely held such that it can be removed from the pocket and brace with one hand is that the user, if they have shaving foam over their hands, need not dirty the container with shaving foam because it is not necessary to hold the container in order to remove the razor.
Another advantage of the hereinafter described embodiment is that shaving debris left on the razor after use will run down the elongate handle of the razor and into the pocket formed in the container. In this way the shaving debris which might include soap and bits of hair, are prevented from dirtying the surface on which the container is placed.
A second aspect the present invention further provides a combination of a container and a razor. The razor comprises an elongate handle and a head and the container includes a side panel with at least three substantially parallel lines of weakness. These enable a first brace and a second brace to be formed. The lines of weakness are dimensioned such that when formed, the first brace supports the razor by the head and the first and second braces loosely hold the elongate handle at a medial portion. Thereby the razor is located relative to the container and the razor can easily be removed from said first and second brace with one and.
A third aspect the present invention further provides a method comprising the steps of: forming two substantially parallel lines of weakness in a side panel of a container; and providing instructions to bend the side panel between the two lines of weakness outwards to form a brace and to insert an elongate handle of a razor between the brace and the side panel.